Saturday, December 25, 2010

Chocolate Charm Cookies

Merry Christmas to one and all! I have been celebrating the right way! I have been in the kitchen for most of the time I have been home. Currently, I am watching my little sister and mom stir the chicken and noodles and put the dinner rolls in the oven. The kitchen is filled with all kinds of wonderful smells. I just wish I had a latte in my hand...damn you Pawhuska for being so rural. Oh well, life goes on.

I am sharing a recipe with you all. It is called, "Chocolate Charms." They are just a little ball of chocolate heaven and I think they are easy enough for anyone to make them. It is a cookie that is acting like a truffle, don't know if anyone will understand that, worth a try.

Chocolate Charm Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract(optional)

Directions:
1. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt into a bowl.
2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, and beat about 2 minutes more, until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour
mixture, and combine on a low-speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers. Form dough into a flattened disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least, 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Using a spoon, form dough into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheets. Bake until firm, 20-30 minutes ; rotating halfway through. Cool completely on wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Look at these precious little things, right before they go into the oven.

Finished product! All dusted with awesomeness!

Well, one round of presents is completed. My family was up at the crack of dawn to watch Jack tear into presents. After that, we all enjoyed some Christmas pancakes, another family tradition. Now we are in the kitchen waiting on the rest of the family to arrive... I wish they would hurry because my stomach is growling....and they just walked in! Party time!